


Instincts

by KayKenobi



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Armitage Hux is a Jerk, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Ben is protective of Rey, Curious Cat prompt, F/M, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, office rivals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 11:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22849582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KayKenobi/pseuds/KayKenobi
Summary: Based off of the Curious Cat Prompt: “Ben and Rey are longtime office rivals who hate each other. Oddly, every time Rey is somehow threatened Ben's protective instincts come out to play.”
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 12
Kudos: 75





	Instincts

**Author's Note:**

> Moodboard made by the amazing Tasha! <3 Enjoy!
> 
> Curious Cat Prompt twitter: https://twitter.com/reylo_prompts

A door slams and a very angry Ben Solo storms out of the meeting room, his nails digging painfully deep into the palms of his hands as he clenches them into fists by his sides. He had just gotten into yet another heated argument with his long time office rival, Rey-fucking-Niima. She had told him that his idea for their upcoming engineering project wouldn’t work because of how costly it would be. Ben argued back that money wouldn’t have been an issue if she and the others just worked harder.

Of course, that only stoked the flame inside of her more. Rey stood up then and slammed her palm down on the table, causing everyone, including Holdo, to jump. She yelled back stating that she and the others worked just as hard as he did, she included that she even stayed after hours to finish up projects early. Ben knew that was true, but wouldn’t let her have the satisfaction of knowing. So instead, he stormed out of the meeting room, slamming the door behind him. 

“Fuck!!” He slammed his own office door behind him and slumped into his leather seat, ignoring the groans of protest from the old upholstery. He didn’t  _ want _ to get angry, he didn’t  _ want _ to yell at her. She was right, it was very costly, he had run the numbers. But, he wanted to make his boss proud. Amilyn Holdo was like an aunt to him, he had to please her. 

Taking deep breaths, he shut his eyes until the pounding of his heart and the rage inside of him calmed down. He felt his body relax and his breathing even out. 

An hour passed and Ben finally stepped out of his office to get a cup of coffee when he heard someone (namely Hux) spouting nonsense like he always does.

“I don’t know why you even try here, Niima! You’re never going to get your way when all you do is argue! You think you can just bat your eyelashes and we’ll all drop to our knees and bend to your every will, but we won't! You also think you’re so smart, so educated on every topic that comes up during our meetings! And God forbid someone disagrees with what you have to say!” He tsked, shaking his head. “I don’t know what Holdo sees in you.” He was yelling at Rey, one pale finger pointing directly at her face. His lips were twitched upwards into a sour smile which caused an unpleasant shiver to shoot down Ben’s spine. 

“Hux.” In two long strides, Ben was behind Hux, towering over him, a look of pure hatred in his eyes. What was he doing? Ben couldn’t stand even being in the same room as Rey. Why was he stopping Hux from being a prick towards her? 

Hux turned and looked up at Ben, a dark smirk on his pale face. “Can I help you, Solo?” He sneered. “Or did you just come here to watch me insult Ms. Niima?” He chuckled, turning back towards Rey.

Ben stopped him, grabbing onto the front of Hux’s shirt roughly and turning him back to face him. “If I ever hear you use any aggressive words towards Rey again, I will personally report you to HR and to Holdo and I will tell her everything you have ever said about anyone working here. I will also mention how you pissed Rose off so much that you made her cry in her cubicle just because she took a bite of a fucking MUFFIN that you wanted!” Ben let Hux go, shoving him towards the entrance of the break room, enjoying how he almost tripped over his own shoes. “Do you fucking understand me?” Hux nodded, adjusting his shirt and scampering out of the break room, towards his own cubicle. 

Ben sighed and turned back towards Rey. She was stiff as a board, grasping her mug tightly, staring down at the floor. “Are you okay?” Ben said softly, shifting his weight to his other foot, feeling awkward. 

Rey fiddled with the string of her tea bag. “He’s right.” Her lips twitched downwards, her hazel eyes shining with unshed tears. “I get so angry and start yelling whenever I don’t get my way. Sure,” she laughed sharply. “I studied my ass off for these projects, but I’m not as smart as the others here.” She inhaled, shaking her head and wiping her eyes before looking over at Ben. “Sorry. Yes. I’m okay. Thanks.” Without another word, Rey walked out of the break room, leaving Ben in silence.

Fifteen minutes passed and Rey’s computer pinged, which meant someone had sent her a direct message. 

**Ben Solo** **  
** **4:30PM**

**Can you come into my office please?**

**Rey Niima**

**4:31PM**

**Am I in trouble?**

**Ben Solo** **  
** **4:31PM**

**No. Just come into my office.**

Rey knocked lightly at Ben’s door and waited to hear his quiet  _ come in _ before she stepped into his office. 

“You uh..wanted to talk to me?” Rey’s eyes flicked around his office, a look of uncertainty showed on her face and she stood behind one of the seats, running her fingertips over the back of it. 

Ben shifted in his seat, rubbing the back of his neck before he nodded. “Yeah..I just..wanted to see if you were alright. Hux can be...well...Hux.”

Rey’s stunned expression was visible for a moment before she looked away. “I thought you hated me, Ben.”

Ben shrugged and stood up to lean on his desk, his long legs crossing at the ankles. “S-sometimes, but no one deserves to be yelled at by that toothpick.” 

Rey chuckled lightly which made Ben’s chest constrict. “I suppose that’s true.” She flicked her gaze over to Ben and nodded lightly with a soft smile on her face. “But yes, I’m alright. Thank you.” 

“Of course.” Ben nodded, fiddling with a pen that was sitting on the edge of his desk.

“I guess I should be getting back to my work now.” Rey straightened up and took a step towards the office door.

“Rey wait!” Ben grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks. Her skin was warm, soft even and her eyes were wide. “I-I’m sorry about earlier. And about all the times I ever yelled at you or insulted your work. Y-you’re a great employee. You do work hard. I-it’s just that—y-Y’know, Holdo is like an aunt to me and I always want to impress her, but your ideas are so much better a-and I’m just an idiot who keeps coming up with expensive ideas, a-and you’re just so pretty (he mumbled that part) a-and your face practically lights up when you talk about your work to Holdo and—“ 

Rey silenced Ben’s (adorable) rambling with a feathery-soft press of her lips against his own and she grinned at the stunned expression on his face and the tomato-red blush across his cheeks. “Holdo was right. You do talk too much.” She chuckled lightly.

“I—wait—y—“ Ben stuttered, clearly flustered before he cleared his throat. “I want—“ he raised his open palms, not quite sure what to do.

“What do you want, Ben?” Rey asked softly, standing in between his now-open legs, her hands coming up to rest on the back of his neck. 

“You.” He closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against hers. She tasted like sugar and sunshine with a hint of tea on her tongue. She sighed against his lips and tangled her fingers in his hair. 

Ten minutes later, Ben’s office door opened and Rey stepped out, trying to be low key about fixing a button on her blouse or making sure her skirt was adjusted and Ben stood in the doorway, running a hand through his very messy hair before straightening his tie.

“Well. Thank you for speaking with me, Ms. Niima.” Ben nodded, a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

Rey met his gaze and bit her lip, trying to hide her smirk. “Of course, Ben.” Her voice was low and she subtly raked her eyes up and down his body. “Thank you for making sure everything was alright.” 

Ben grinned as he watched her walk away, not ignoring the fact that she was swinging her hips just for him. He could get used to this. 

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked this! I added way more fluff than originally planned, but, tada!  
> This also took me way longer to type up because I had gotten lazy for a bit.
> 
> My twitter: https://twitter.com/DangerKaycee


End file.
